Ranking Records:10cc 

how dare you is a real masterpiece...and still sounds incredible....i love every second of it..they worked so well together ...amazing music and lyrics

Great video, Mike and thanks so much for your positive comments about my book. Glad you enjoyed it and that it rekindled your love of the self-proclaimed worst band in the world!

Great band. I saw 10cc many times in Manchester in the 70's and also once at Knebworth where they were on the same bill as the Rolling Stones and Lynard Skynard at Knebworth.

10cc underrated but one of the best bands ever.

I read every page twice! What a band. Queen was supporting 10cc at 23 december 1973 in Liverpool. All to read in the book..tks fir your review!

Nice work Mike,good to see that 10cc were also appreciated in America.They were the first band I ever saw live ,this would have been during 1974 in the U.K.,and they were just terrific.I would also pick their wonderful first album as my favourite,followed by 'Sheet Music','The Original Soundtrack' and 'How Dare You'.The latter two,I have to say,I'm not too mad on.They both have some excellent songs but,for me,they could not compete with those brilliant first two albums.I have to say that once the original band split,I also went.It was not the same,how could it be,and in the U.K. punk came along and a lot of bands,unfairly maybe,were just swept out of the way.10cc were among them and they have almost become forgotten within the U.K.It's good to see that they have not been quiet so forgotten on RU-vid.Four excellent singers,songwriters and performers,they were ahead of their time and don't believe that old line about them not being a good live band on stage.It's nonsense,they were great.Thanks.

very nice video review

Hello from Aberdeen, UK ... Such a great band and still wonderful to see live ... also Graham doing his solo tours ... so many great tunes. For me, Feel the Benefit, Art for Arts Sake (off the Clever Clogs set), I'm Not in Love, Wall Street Shuffle and One Night in Paris are pure gold ... Favourite album is Deceptive Bends then the Original Spundtrack ... and, yes, the BBC 4 documentary is fabulous ...p.s. you should check out the recent video "the Stockport Bake Off" to see Graham and Kevin's reaction to the recently discovered music the band did for a Revlon advert during the UK's hot summer of 1976 ... and I'd like to get CD copies of the Neil Sedaka material recorded with the band ... have tickets for both the band and Gouldman solo shows which are being regularly rescheduled due to covid ...

Great to see 10cc getting some attention. That book looks great, will definitely look out for that. I grew up with the band's music as my dad had a vinyl copy of The Original Soundtrack. I recently picked up Neil Sedaka's Solitaire record. Nice video, will check out your other rankings videos. Cheers, James

Well done mate. They are pure genius.

Great video. I like your approach, especially with the later albums! 😉 The first album just about wins for me too.

10CC such a fabulous band! I'm Not In Love is without doubt one of the most beautiful, beautiful songs ever made!! Art For Arts Sake and I'm Mandy, Fly Me from The How Dare You album, just brilliant 😊great video and best wishes to you from across the pond 😊

Interesting - Sheet Music man myself - enjoyed the show and your obvious love for the band D

10cc were a great band. Coming from the UK they appeared on the radio often with their excellent singles (even Hotlegs and their single Neanderthal Man was great). They were always creating intelligent songs which were catchy and smart. Punk came along and everything changed, it was back to basics and passion rather than ability.

A hugely under appreciated and under valued band. The original 4 man line up produced some of the most fantastic music of the era and it is such a shame that all started to decline once Godley and Creme left the band.

I remember my brother borrowing the album Sheet Music from his buddy, and him calling me into his room at our parents house and saying, "You've got to hear this band. These are the new Beatles." At the time Glam Rock was dominating the charts, and was the music of my peers; having been brought up on 60's British Blues and then the burgeoning Prog Rock genres, at the time I was rather disdainful of the "Pop Charts" and didn't listen to it much, so I guess I'd missed/dismissed the slightly earlier work (Donna, The Dean and I, Rubber Bullets). But when I heard Sheet Music I was immediately smitten, and my faith was restored. Of course I bought the album, and then 10cc, and then after some research (no internet back then) tracked down the Hotlegs records (10cc minus Graham Gouldman - worth checking out). I snapped up The Original Soundtrack as soon as it was released, and then How Dare You! Looking back (listening back?) to the fourth album, it is clear that tensions between the two pairs was affecting their creativity. I guess it is difficult for 4 musical geniuses to work continuously together, and something has to crack. I remember where I was when I heard on the news that 10cc had split, and at the time I was devastated. And yes, Deceptive Bends was a pretty reasonable album, Bloody tourists perhaps slightly less so, but for me this re-generation of the band was 10cc with a lobotomy (a bit harsh, perhaps). The musicality was there, they had a couple of great tracks, but it seemed slightly clinical, with Godley/Creme's missing experimental flair leaving the end result rather hollow. And that was that; perhaps not the "new Beatles" we had great hopes for. Still, here I am, 40-odd years later, and still regularly playing the 4 "Original Soundtracks" (pun intended...), albeit on a memory stick in the car. As a matter of interest, I'm with the herd I'm afraid - Sheet Music still lives on with me as one of the top 5 albums ever made.

I Love 10CC I have their first 7 albums that includes Live And Let Live. I really can't rank them because each album has outstanding tracks and some (few) so-so tracks. I like the way they kind of transport me to imaging something like a broadway musical or an old movie One Night In Paris, Somewhere In Hollywood, Don't Hang Up and others. They were the best clever writers in rock and one of my favorite bands of all time.

Interesting video, Deceptive Bends for me as my top album, Feel the Benefit is sinply amazing. As for Graham, he still touring with Paul Burgess & Rick Fenn, both of these guys have been with 10CC when Eric was with them, and Paul if memory serves me right has been with 10CC since 76.

I think Ten out of 10 is actually a very strong album . The problem is, they made two versions, they composed three new songs for the American version in collaboration with Andrew Gold, and they are really good. Both versions has really good songs that is not included on the other version. But if you have the cd with all songs, you can put together an optimal version of the album. If you do that, you will find an album that is much better than ”Bloody Tourists” in my opinion. I had the european version back then and did not like it much. I only found out about the three added songs lately, and they are really good with a little more of the old 10cc vibe. They really add to the album. This is my ”version” of the album: 1. "Don't Ask" 2. "The Power of Love" 3. "Les Nouveaux Riches" 4. "Memories" (US Mix) 5. "We've Heard It All Before 6. "Don't Turn Me Away" 7. "Listen with Your Eyes" 8. "Overdraft in Overdrive" 9. "Lying Here with You" 10. "Run Away"

In my top 5 bands ever

I love 10 cc!!

Tbh the five you didn't review are excellent,you need to give em proper listen ,but great stuff mate what a band ,my fav will always be sheet music

Seems a pity now that Godley and Creme had invented the Gizmo and then wanted to make an album showcasing its capabilities. Their 'Consequences' triple album does have some amazing tracks on it but I still wish they hadn't left the band.

" Tying Your Musical Colours " To Any 10cc Best Of Albums For " Most Would Be " An Impossible Task " !!! Such Is The " Band's Brilliance " !!!! From Adrian Browne 1965

Worth pointing out that Are You Normal is actually called Look Hear? At the same time Gouldman and Stewart had solo albums. Al thought they were released as solo albums one of them had every member of that period 10CC apart from Stewart- the Animalympics soundtrack. The other had every member of the later line up - this is a very rare record and is soundtrack to a European film called Girls. Meanwhile has a reuniting of all four original members though they never wrote any tracks as a foursome. Some recent recordings by Godley and Gouldman recall some of the fusion of the original four.

Got them all. Meanwhile has a few gems, Shine a light in the dark brilliant musically, Jeff Porcaro on drums, Michael Landau on lead guitar. Eric's vocals shine. Love that track, and so do all folks I play it to.

Their coupling songs were also great, as Waterfall, Gizmo my way, 18 carat man of means, Channel swimmer , Get it while you can…🎵In 1973~1980, I was into 10cc, Roxy music, XTC & Todd Rundgren's Utopia😜💕

Just happend across this and really enjoyed

The album that you called Are You Normal is actually called Look Hear. 10 out of 10 is a great album and probably a return to form

I disagree with the How Dare You Album, this was the most innovative of all their albums. IMHO!

The original line-up actually made 5 albums - if you include "100 cc Greatest Hits" in 1974. Okay that featured their hits up to & including Silly Love on side one. But side two has 6 other excellent tracks - like Waterfall, Gizmo my way (a very nice guitar & gizmo instrumental), and 18 caret man of means. Their music was still brilliant, before and after Godley and Creme went their own way.

I love How Dare You? the most

I was a big 10cc fan since sheet music. I've heard these records more than any other music. Sheet Music is their masterpiece but I'd find it impossible to rank these four albums.

Good review of the 10cc catalog.

Don't agree with your ranking, but am delighted you like the band. If you don't rank Sheet Music No1 you won't feel the benefit. 'Old Wild Men' is surely one of their best ever songs.

Sheet Music, The Original Soundtrack and How Dare You are equally their three best albums, however, they are all different in style, influences and feel from each other, Sheet Music being more influenced by Godley and Creme influences, Original Soundtrack being more Stewart /Gouldman dominated, and How Dare You being a clear split, with less collaboration that gels between the two partnerships. When this happens, on a few of the songs, it is a bit pretentious, hinting at tensions, but nevertherless it is still a very good album, containing their last masterpiece " Mandy" and their last consistently good LP,

Nice vid. It’s worth noting Graham Gouldmans amazing songwriting talent pre 10cc “For Your Love, Bus Stop” etc. Then the “Bubble Gum Pop” period that lead them to resurrecting Neil Sedakas career .Their work has been ignored for too long. The book is superb btw a great lockdown read😷

Great review ,for me sheet music is there best album .But i agree with you on the nummers rubber bullets and the dean and i as there best ones.gr. eddy

Zeer Interessant

If we are just going on the first 4 albums Mike, l would have to disagree. My top four are as follows: #1 How Gare You. #2 The Original Soundtrack. #3 Sheet Music. #4 10cc. I think they got better as time went on, and even after the split, produced some truly great stuff, especially Godley & Creme. Consequences was just awesome! Great pod Mike.

10cc was blah = Godley & Creme were FABULOUS

Windows in th Jungle is so underrated. Meanwhile is also quite good, but the music was a bit outdated. My personal ranking (all of the albums) from bottom to top is: Mirror, Mirror Look Hear Ten out of 10 Live and let Live Clever clogs Meanwhile 10CC Bloody Tourists Sheet Music How dare you Deceptive bends The original soundtrack For which I have to say, the top 5 are pretty close to eachother. Depends on the mood I am in, or which phase of my life. For instance I used to have mixed feelings about Sheet Music. I always loved Silly love, but a song like old wise men was a bit out of my comfort zone. Nowadays I think it is a piece of art. And some years ago I thought Feel the benefit is one of the best songs ever written (still is btw), but Une nuit a Paris turned out to be so much better over the years. I'm not in love was a bit boring towards my juvenile ears, but now I know what the band has done to make this and listen to it over and over again (over and over and over, pun intended), I think it is a piece of art.

I have 10cc first album that is autographed by them And the dean and I is also my favourite

Great video. Really enjoyable. I agree, the later albums lost me too. My ranking would be. 1. The Original Soundtrack, 2. Sheet Music, 3. How Dare You, 4. 10cc, a distant 5. Deceptive Bends, an even more distant 6. Bloody Tourists. after that, don't care. I also love the Consequences album from Godley & Creme. I would probably rank it between How Dare You and the debut.

Just a wee bit of up to date news about Lol who is working with the band The Producers with (amongst others) Trevor Horn and Kevin, now in his 70's has just released his first solo album called "Muscle Memory" and yes, his voice is still amazing!! He's also written a book "Spacecake" and still directs videos (where does he get the time??). And by weird coincidence Lol and Kev's early recording material as Frabjoy and Runcible Spoon (before Hotlegs) has been also released

forgot to say - the "Meanwhile" album actually has all 4 members appearing on it - Kev and Lol came back after a big offer was made by the record company - but sadly the tracks had already been recorded separately and I think they producer insisted on using session musicians as well so Kev only did one lead vocal and he and Lol did various backing vocals and that was it - , yes they are all on the record but no, they didn't actually play together so it wasn't the great comeback album we had all hoped for. But it's still something.

Got into these in the early 70s - still play their albums, Sheet Music accompanied a dog walk a few days ago! Just some background with regards UK records - that label was headed up by Jonathan King, an impresario who is now tainted with salubrious allegations against him although prior to 10cc he is credited with the discovery of Genesis and produced "From Genesis To Revelations". I did read (again in the 70s) about "I'm Mandy Fly Me" which is now reckoned to be about a dream about flying - when what I read referred to "Mandy" being the street name for Mandrax. Look at that angle and the meaning changes a bit! The lyrics from this band were so cerebral, so clever, they took the piss out of the scene at the time. Total geniuses!

It’s a shame you passed on the last five albums, they are not bad and have some interesting songs.

Just got a Hotlegs - Thinks School Stinks No mention on some of there side projects

First, you must go back and take another listen to How dare you. It's a masterpiece. Forget about Mandy and Arts, there are some songs that are just as good as anything on Soundtrack. I wanna rule the world is pure genius. Iceberg could fit on Sheet music. Kevin on Dont hang up is just as good as Hollywood. For me How dare you is much better than the first album. Not counting the post original four albums my ranking is 4. 10cc. 3. How dare you. 2.Sheet Music.1. Original Soundtrack. I was lucky enough to see them on their 1974 US tour. They performed nearly the entire Sheet Music album. I was 17 and in all my glory. Saw then again in 76 but it was not the same. It left me feeling like I just saw half a concert. Eric and Graham could never do it without Lol and Kevin. How much I yearn for them to come back together for one more. More than the Beatles when they were all alive.

Couldn't agree more with what you said about the original band. The other stuff is likeable..but the magic wasn't there!

Wonderland from "…Meanwhile" is a gorgeous song.

Hi I'm from Sri Lanka. Can you do a ranking of Neil Diamond albums

The best t m o is how dar You. From the later stuff, total underrated: Windows in the jungle. Not to forget y: Look hear is ablöst aus Gooß aus Blood Tourist s

The Dean and I is the one song Eric Stewart did not like.

I cannot pick the best out of the first four albums, all in my top ten albums of all time. 'Deceptive Bends' and 'Bloody Tourist' also excellent albums. The last 10cc I brought was 'Are You Normal' back in 1980 think I've only played it three times since, just not in the same class. Also went and got 'L' and 'Freeze Frame' by Godley and Creme, apart from a couple of exceptions, the absolutely brilliant 'Englishman in New York' being one of them, all a bit too much for me. But having said that just a great band, they still tour albeit only Graham Gouldman left out of the originals but the shows are still fantastic.

Watching this again I must conclude youre just not a hardcore 10cc fan. Your choices for best songs are all their commercial hits. All of the albums have much better songs than the common hits you mention. How dare you is light years better than the first album.Iceberg, I wanna rule the world and the beautiful Don't hang up. Rock and roll lullaby. The first album is so flawed by a poor recording. Good songs but the production is just not on the same level. They recorded the album for less that 1000 pounds and Eric was still learning his way around a studio and you can hear it. The recordings are muddy and distorted. In fact on Sheet music you can hear the transition from similar recording issues to it eventually becoming a sonic masterpiece. Listen to the beginning of Johnny don't do it.. Sheet music is on another plane.. But...Wall street shuffle has issues but Somewhere in Hollywood is brilliant. Hotel is incredibly recorded. It took time but halfway through Sheet music they finally got it and the recording drastically got better. I don't know the order of songs recorded but I could take a guess judging by the quality. Sheet music and Soundtrack are so perfect and so equal in brilliance but of you held a gun to my head Sheet music is their best record. Sadly, after Bloody Tourists it was all over. There wasn't one good song I could find over the duration of the next five albums. If I could have one wish, ok two it would be to have 10CC and XTC both return for one album each and one tour. Yes they're older but I believe they both have just enough talent and desire to do it. If all four Beatles were still alive I would still rather have 10cc and XTC reunite.

How Dare you is by far the best of the 4 albums....

donna is a good song i think its a 50s inspired song

Like look here but mirror mirror not so good .,,, it's definitely a states USA Britain thing , they were massive in the uk from 1972-78 and at least 12 hits in that period.

One Nite in Paris has nothing to do with Queen's garbage hit

Please - there is no ‘Are you normal’ album. It is titled ‘Look Hear?’. And to categorize ‘Windows in the jungle’ as an album with some decent songs...Ignorant!